My Simply Clean® Automatic Litter Box Is Making a Grinding Noise

Perform the cleaning steps detailed in Cleaning the Simply Clean® Automatic Litter Box. After cleaning the litter box, is it still making a grinding noise?

  • If yes, proceed to the following step.
  • If no, the issue has been resolved. Repeat these cleaning steps regularly to keep your litter box running smoothly and quietly.

Locate the cotter pin on the front side of the conveyor assembly, near the top of the conveyor. When the conveyor is lowered, this cotter pin will be in an indentation at the front of the conveyor assembly, near the metal tab of the conveyor sensor.

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Look down at the cotter pin. Is it underneath the metal tab of the conveyor sensor? (If so, you may have noticed a clicking noise when the litter box was in operation.)

  • If yes, please contact Customer Care for assistance in fixing the position of the conveyor sensor.
  • If no, proceed to the following step.

Unplug the litter box.

Loosen the two thumbscrews securing the conveyor. Lift the conveyor.

Remove the litter guard and the litter bowl.

Use a vacuum or a can of compressed air to clear any litter from under the litter bowl, particularly around the base gear.

Make sure the small white wheels that assist with the bowl rotation move freely and are not missing. If there are missing wheels, redistribute the remaining wheels as equally as possible. The wheels are easy to remove and replace by hand.

Plug the litter box back in.

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Make sure the waste bin is fully in place, and then press and hold the conveyor sensor with long slim object such as a pencil or screwdriver.

While you are pressing the conveyor sensor, watch for movement of the base gear. If the base gear:

  • Moves smoothly and the noise is no longer occurring, reassemble the litter box.
  • Doesn’t move, or continues making a grinding noise, unplug the litter box again and proceed to the following step.

Unplug the litter box again.

Turn the litter box over.

Use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the four screws securing the snowman- or figure 8-shapedgear assembly to the bottom of the litter box.

Carefully flip over the gear assembly.

Be careful not to pull on the yellow wires connecting the gear assembly to the litter box; pulling too hard on these wires can cause permanent damage.

Use a vacuum or a can of compressed air to clear any litter from the gear area.

Inspect the bowl motor gears for damage. Do the gears appear damaged?

  • If yes, the litter box will need to be replaced. Please contact Customer Care for further assistance.
  • If no, proceed to the following step.

Reassemble the litter box and plug it in. If the bowl motor gears are:

  • Turning smoothly and the litter box is no longer making a grinding noise, the issue is resolved.Remember to clean the litter box regularly to clear any litter from the bowl motor gears.
  • Not turning smoothly, or the noise doesn’t seem to be resolved, the bowl motor will need to be replaced. Please contact Customer Care to purchase a replacement bowl motor.

Contact Customer Care

If you need further assistance, please contact our customer care team.

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